Too many works to do from the role of agricultural extension group

For the common benefits of community

The forest, primarily composed of acacia trees, is encountered upon exiting the entrance in Cam Nghia. The residences are situated at the forest's border. Acacia slopes extend indefinitely. Numerous locations in Cam Nghia and Quang Tri provinces have weak phone signals. Entering the forest is akin to being cut off from the outside world. After assigning all tasks at the nursery and home to members of the cooperative and a few members of the Sustainable Forest Management Team, Mr. Le Phuc Nhat, Director of the Keo Son Sustainable Forestry Cooperative, is resolute in his goal to ensure that the tree planters receive an additional 10-15% of the wood value.

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Furthermore, Mr. Nhat disclosed that in the past, individuals thought that acacia would be planted if the land was incapable of supporting any other crops. The acacia tree, once established, has the potential to flourish and endure in any location on this land. After 4-5 years, it can be harvested and sold, generating an estimated 50-70 million VND per hectare.

"However, the situation has since changed." Mr. Nhat maintained.

The value of planted forests has undergone a complete transformation since the producers in Cam Nghia transitioned from small timber forests to large timber forests and began planting FSC-certified forests. Mr. Nhat and numerous group members actively encouraged individuals to establish sustainable, connected forests two years after the Sustainable Forest Management Team was established.

Some forest tracts were 4-5 years old, and Mr. Nhat persuaded the owners to delay the sale for a few more years when they were considering harvesting them. As a result, the value of acacia forests could nearly double without the need for additional seedlings, necessitating only an additional half of the planting cycle. In numerous locations, the narrative of production linkage and product consumption between farmers and enterprises frequently breaks down; however, this is not the case with the forest cultivators in Cam Nghia commune. Numerous individuals assert that Mr. Nhat's initiatives are noteworthy.

Changing the forest cultivators' mindset is crucial. In reality, I have served as the intermediary between wood-buying enterprises for an extended time. Consequently, individuals frequently approach me when they are considering the sale of their forests. Planters are inherently resistant to persuasion, as they require funds at the time of sale. However, if they are selling because they believe it is due to the harvest cycle, I provide a clear explanation of the advantages of vast timber forests and FSC forests, and they quickly respond. In the past, I solely focused on the production of seedlings and the pursuit of raw wood markets. However, I now also "explain" as a member of the Sustainable Forest Management Team, as I believe that this brings mutual advantages to the community. Consequently, I am not concerned with any challenges that may arise.

Performed various positions

Mr. Nhat was the first individual selected when the Sustainable Forest Management Team (SFM Team) was established by Cam Nghia commune. He has since become an active member of the SFM Team in Cam Nghia. Mr. Nhat has assumed numerous roles and has disclosed the method by which he organizes his workload to fulfill each obligation.

"How do you manage to keep everything running smoothly and still have time for your family while being a forest planter, seedling producer, SFM Team member, and cooperative director?" we asked.

"I designate a single individual to assume responsibility for each position. While I supervise all activities, I am not responsible for the meticulous execution of each task. The Cam Nghia SFM Team has been operating with remarkable efficiency since its inception. There is never an end to the work if you can integrate your work into every meeting and interaction with farmers," Mr. Nhat explained.

Nevertheless, Mr. Nhat personally oversees the promotion of large timber forests and FSC forests, as well as conducting fieldwork in the forests. This demonstrates that while it is one thing to organize work, it is another to implement it in practice, and not all tasks can be delegated.

The cooperative and the SFM Team share certain overlaps in their duties, as per Mr. Nhat. Many cooperative members are also members of the SFM Team. The SFM Team is engaged in a variety of activities, including direct interaction with farmers, as well as the advocacy, explanation, and transmission of scientific and technical knowledge. The SFM Team can only function effectively and provide benefits to the community by doing so.

In 2020, the Keo Son Sustainable Forestry Cooperative was founded with 11 members and 65 associated households and is currently in the process of constructing a planted forest value chain. Currently, the cooperative has 25 representative members and five production teams, which include a nursery team, a forest planting team, a forest care team, a planted forest harvesting team, and a medicinal plant planting and care team. The cooperative members' production forest area spans 127 hectares, while the forest area of the associated households in the Cam Lo district is nearly 900 hectares, with nearly 500 forest proprietors.

Forestry seedling services and forestry services are provided by the cooperative to cooperatives and forest-planting households throughout the province. It establishes connections with enterprises to facilitate the sale of planted forest timber to its members. From 2020 to 2022, the cooperative successfully executed a plan to construct a nursery that could produce nearly 1.5 million seedlings annually, thereby achieving the capacity to establish 400 hectares of new forest annually. The cooperative had 25 members and 7 groups of households with 500 affiliated members by the end of 2023.

The Cam Nghia SFM Team was also established by the end of 2022. Mr. Nhat maintains that the division of labor between the SFM Team and the cooperative is solely a financial accounting issue. As for the labor, the SFM Team will result in an increase in income and the availability of additional jobs for members.